


Change

by JayceCarter



Series: Nora, John, and Emma [2]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: F/M, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Humor, No Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-24 00:31:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10730481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayceCarter/pseuds/JayceCarter
Summary: Hancock is trying to raise his daughter, Emma, but she is just like her mother. He's dealt with murderers, thieves, and raiders, but can he survive dealing with his daughter?**This is a continuation of "I Don't Run" which is in the Random Bits and Pieces collection. If you don't read that, all you need to know is that Emma is actually Nora and Maxson's daughter, but Hancock and Nora raised her**





	Change

 

#

 

“Over my dead fucking body, sweetheart.” John growled the words out, and given his voice wasn’t smooth at the best of times, it was a miracle anyone could understand him. “Fuck that, over _his_ dead body.”

 

Most people would bolt when he used that voice, the one that usually came right before he spilled a hell of a lot of blood, but Emma only pulled her shoulders back and stood straighter against his anger. She had her mother’s spine. “Knock it off, Dad. I’m an adult.”

 

“You’re eighteen. You’re still a child, still _my_ child.”

 

“I’m going. You can’t stop me.”

 

“You really want to say that to me? There ain’t shit I can’t do, and there ain’t shit I won’t do to keep you safe.”

 

“You can’t keep me safe by keeping me locked up!”

 

“Wanna bet?”

 

She stood in front of him, just as tall as he was now. He missed when she’d been little, when he’d pick her up and hold her. She had Maxson’s height through, so by fifteen she’d been his height. Fuck, when had she grown up? Where had all that time gone? He still remembered her as the little baby who grabbed his finger and cuddled into his chest, as the little girl with pig tails who played fetch with Dogmeat.

 

She leaned in, inches from his face. “Try it. I dare you.”

 

John jammed his finger toward the steps. “I suggest you get your ass in your room and rethink things.”

 

“Or what?”

 

“Or I’ll bring your little boyfriend’s liver to you fucking gift wrapped.”

 

She stood there for a minute before huffing out an annoyed breath and taking the stairs two at a time. At the top of the steps, she turned around. “This conversation isn’t over, Dad.” The slam of the door acted like an exclamation point on her statement.

 

John sighed. He needed some fucking jet and a vacation.

 

#

 

John’s hand shook as he drank back his beer, and Nick didn’t bother to hide his laugh.

 

“Shut up, bolts.”

 

“Can’t help it. You look strung tight. What’s the matter?”

 

“Emma wants to date.”

 

“Well, she is eighteen. This can’t surprise you.”

 

“Yeah, I remember being eighteen. Was a hell of a long time and a body ago for you, but let me remind you. Boys are fucking animals. You really want to let one near little Emma?” As John thought about it, his hand clenched and he shattered the glass. “Fucking wonderful.”

 

Nick shook his head, leaning back in his chair. “She isn’t that little anymore, John. You can’t keep her locked up forever. She wants a life of her own, she deserves that.”

 

“I can’t lose her. What if she goes off and gets hurt? What if the boy is an asshole? Fuck, what if he _isn’t_ an asshole. What if she falls in love?”

 

Nick laughed and put a hand between John’s shoulder blades, lowering his head so he leaned forward. “Slow breathes, buddy. It’ll be okay.”  

 

“I’m not equipped for this. Fuck, I miss Nora. This was supposed to be her job. I can’t do this alone.” Just her name sent a new bolt of pain through John. All these years and it still fucking hurt to remember she was gone.

 

“You survived the sex talk, you’ll survive this.”

 

“No, I didn’t survive that. I sent her to Piper for that shit.”

 

Nick’s hand rubbed John’s back in slow circles, like the best friend in the world, but John knew the fucker was grinning ear to ear. “We all miss Nora. But, you can do this. You aren’t alone, either, you’ve got us all; You know that. What do you think Nora woulda’ done?”

 

“Castrate the fucker.”

 

“No, but I bet she taught Emma how to do that herself if she needs to. You should trust that girl, she’s just like her mother, just like you. Tough as nails. She’ll be just fine.” Nick stood then, offering one last squeeze of John’s shoulder. “You’ll be fine, too, John.”

 

John sat up once Nick had left. He wrapped his fingers around the metal ring hanging on a strip of leather around his neck. Nora survived so much shit, who'd have ever thought she'd just get sick and die? That she'd take down every god damned thing in the Commonwealth and then fall beneath a fucking infection?

 

Fuck, he missed Nora. Eight years and he still missed her every damn day. He still woke up and rolled over, rasping out a sweet ‘Morning Sunshine,’ before he woke up enough to remember, she was gone. Those moments in the morning, before he remembered, were his favorite part of the fucking day.

 

“I can’t do this alone, sunshine. Why’d you have to go?”

 

No answer. Never an answer.

 

He took a deep breath and gripped the rings harder, hard enough they dug into his hands. “I won’t fuck this up, Nora. You’ll be proud of me, I promise.”

 

Fuck, he missed her.

 

#

 

The blade rolled over John’s knuckles like another damned finger. He’d had the thing forever, and he handled it like an extra limb. He’d thought about a gun, but hell, guns were common out there. Blades though? Blades made you stop and think.

 

“Put that away, Dad.” Emma crossed her arms and glared.

 

“Not a chance. Let him in.”

 

“If you scare him off, you’ll be sorry.”

 

“If I scare him off, he ain’t worth your time anyway.”

 

Emma opened the door and John got his first look at the fucker. He hated him. Not for any good reason, he guessed, but everything about the kid pissed him off. His stupid pants, his fucking shoes, even his yellow shirt. Who the fuck wore yellow like that?

 

The kid’s eyes locked on the knife. “Oh, um, h- hi. Nice to meet you, sir.”

 

Sir? John smiled, or maybe it was a snarl. Same difference, right? “Emma, you wanna give us a second? I need a few words with him.”

 

“I swear, Dad, if you hurt him you won’t need to worry about losing anymore parts because I’ll slice ‘em off myself.”

 

When the kid’s eyes widened, she offered him a smile. “Kidding, Tom. Totally kidding. Dad is fine, he wouldn’t ever hurt anyone. Gentle as a house cat. Right, Dad?”

 

Maybe a fucking lion, but sure, whatever. “Whatever you say, sweetheart. Go on, let us have a minute.”

 

She moved behind Tom, out of his line of sight, then point a finger at John and proceeded to drag her finger across her throat. Her threats always warmed his heart, and didn’t that show what a fucked up little family they’d created? She then walked down the Statehouse stairs, shutting the door to his office behind her.

 

“So, Brother, you’re thinking about spending some time with my little Emma?” John used the tip of the blade to point at a chair he’d set up in front of the couch John sat on. “Take a seat.”

 

“I swear, I had no idea she was your daughter.”

 

“Bullshit. Everyone knows Emma’s mine.”

 

“I didn’t. I’m from Diamond City and I met her there. She didn’t tell me about you until last week. If I’d have known, well, let’s just say, you’re not a man I want to piss off.”

 

“Problem is, you’re already a problem. You run off now, you break my girl’s heart. You break her heart, I break yours. You got that?”

 

“Yes, absolutely. I get that.  I’d never break her heart.” The boy shook, actually fucking trembled. Not nearly good enough for Emma. Emma needed someone tough, someone who could keep her safe. Not this joke who shook at the sight of one little knife.

 

John stood, then. Tom went to stand, but John grabbed his shoulder and shoved him back into the seat. “You don’t take her out of this town, you got that? I got neighborhood all over this town, and they’ll have a close fucking eye on you, so don’t think you two can sneak anywhere.”

 

“Of course, sir. We won’t go anywhere. Just to the Third Rail.”

 

John’s fingers cranked down tighter. “She doesn’t drink, not a drop. You keep your pretty little hands to yourself, too, or you’re gonna lose ‘em. Don’t think anything happens here that I don’t know about.”

 

“Absolutely.”

 

“She’s home by midnight. Every minute she’s late I take out of your skin.”

 

“I understand.”

 

“And if you get any ideas about anything else. . .” John brought the blade down between Tom’s legs, burying it in the chair just an inch from the kid’s goods. “Let’s just say I ain’t got a fucking problem separating you from your manhood.”

 

The kid swallowed hard, eyes like saucers in his pale face. All he could do was nod.

 

Emma walked in and John yanked the blade from the chair, hiding it behind his back.

 

“You guys done?”

 

“Yeah, sweetheart, we are. Have fun.”

 

She narrowed her eyes, but said nothing. The kid stood and all but ran out of the room.

 

John laughed and tossed the blade on the desk. Not bad for the first boyfriend.

 

#

 

“I need some fucking jet or something.” John paced, pulling at his red coat. He hadn’t worn his Hancock outfit in years, but like he could say no to Emma. Daisy had even cleaned the thing, sewing up the small tears that had happened over the years.

 

“Relax, John.” Nick straightened his tie, tightening it to his throat instead of the loose mess it usually was. Guess Emma had gotten them all to dress up.

 

No one else ever could have. Fuck, even Strong wore a suit, or something that resembled one. Emma had all of ‘em dancing to her tune. She always had.

 

“How can I relax? This is a disaster.”

 

“Yeah, love always is.”

 

“It ain’t love. It’s stupid kids doing what stupid kids do.”

 

“Was that what you and Nora were? Just stupid kids.”

 

John smiled as he thought back. “The stupidest.”

 

Deacon peeked his head in. “Hey, John, Emma needs you.”

 

“She calling it off?” Giddy hope filled his voice.

 

“Sorry, but I don’t think so.”

 

John shoved his hands into his pockets. “Damnit. Fine, let me go see what she needs before she breaks my fucking heart.”

 

When John entered the room, his breath caught.

 

Fuck.

 

Emma was Nora. She looked exactly like her mother, her dark hair piled on her head, ringlets of it falling onto her shoulders. A white dress hugged her form, too tight for his liking, but she’d never really listened to him anyway. Something else she’d gotten from Nora, he guessed. “You look beautiful,” he admitted.

 

And then she smiled and he swore his heart broke. “Hey, Dad.”

 

“Deacon said you needed me?”

 

“Yeah. I was wondering if you had anything of Mom’s?”

 

“Like what, sweetheart?”

 

“I don’t know. It’s just, well, she isn’t here. I thought maybe you had a piece of cloth she had, or hell, even a gun. I just want to feel like she’s here, you know?”

 

John rubbed his hand against his chest at the ache. Nora should have been there. Emma deserved to have her mother there, but life didn’t work out the way it should and people didn’t get what they deserved.

 

Fuck knew Nora deserved to be there and John didn’t.

 

His fingers wrapped around the ring, and he pulled it from his neck. Before she could argue, he slid the leather strip around her neck, then straightened the ring. “Your Mama’s wedding ring.”

 

Emma shook her head and clutched at the item to remove it, her eyes wide. “I can’t take this Dad. You never take it off; it’s yours.”

 

“Nah, sweetheart. Your mom woulda’ wanted you to have it. Hell, if you can’t have something special on your wedding day, when can you? If she was here, she woulda’ passed it down to you anyway. I was just holding onto it for you.” John caught a tear falling from Emma’s cheek with his thumb. “Don’t cry, baby girl. You know, your mom would have been proud of you, and so am I.”

 

Emma wrapped her arms around John and hugged him, and wasn’t it suddenly so long ago? Emma a sweet little girl, causing trouble and then running to him to get her out of trouble? But she wasn’t that girl anymore. She’d grown up, turned into an amazing woman. He wasn’t lying, Nora would have been damn proud to see their daughter.

 

John set his arm out and waited for Emma to slid her arm into the crook of his elbow. “Alright, sweetheart. Let’s get this freakshow on the road.”

 

 

#

 

So much blood. John hadn’t seen that much blood in a long fucking time. The screams would haunt him forever, echoing around in his head, slamming against the insides of his skull.

 

At least someone had taken his blade away. He didn’t know who, didn’t care, just remembered them prying it from his fingers when he’d gotten antsy. Hell, he hadn’t been this bad when Nora had died, when he sat by her bed as she drifted away. Maybe because he’d expected that, he’d planned on it.

 

This shit wasn’t planned.

 

Nick’s face drifted in front of his. Yellow eyes drew him back to himself. “John! Get a grip. It’s okay. Sun says she’s okay.”

 

“There’s a lot of blood.” Yeah, no fucking kidding, genius. Still, the lame comment was all he could think of.

 

“Yeah, I know. There were some problems, but Sun has her all fixed up. She’s okay.”

 

“And. . “ he trailed off, too afraid to ask the question.

 

The answer came when Emma’s husband handed a bundled baby to him. John held the infant out of instinct, his arm cradling it’s tiny body against his chest. Fucking perfect. Looked just like Emma had at that age.

 

“Congratulations, Grandpa.” Nick smiled and patted John’s back as he stared down into the face of the newest member of their family.

 

“Her name is Kate,” the father offered.

 

“Kate? I can’t handle another fucking girl in this family. I’m too old for this. You deal with the first boyfriend.”

 

“Oh, that’s no problem. I’ll castrate the fucker.” And wasn’t that exactly why John had approved of this man and not that kid she’d brought home at first? This man was a hell of a lot more like himself than he wanted to admit, minus some of the charisma and nifty red coat.

 

“Hello, Kate,” John said, sliding his thumb along the little girl’s cheek. After another moment, he walked over and handed her to Emma. Mother and daughter, fucking perfect, both of ‘em.

 

He thanked Nora silently for giving him this, hoping like fuck that wherever she was, she could hear him. He never thought he’d have a family, a real family, and here he was with the next generation of ‘em. Another girl to watch over, to help raise, to keep safe. He pressed a kiss to Emma’s head before leaving her to rest.

 

“Nora would be proud,” Nick said as they walked outside.

 

John smiled, thinking about everyone in that house, his past, and his life, and his whole fucking future inside those girls. “Yeah. Yeah, she would.”

 


End file.
